Federal Skilled Worker Program
The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) is a key pathway under Canada’s Express Entry system for skilled professionals to obtain permanent residency. It is designed for individuals with relevant work experience, education, and language proficiency who can contribute to Canada’s economy.
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Federal Skilled Worker Program
The Federal Skilled Worker Program is one of the three Express Entry programs and is quite popular among skilled immigrants from all over the world, even in 2025.
This program helps skilled workers with foreign work experience of a minimum of one year, to apply for Canadian PR.
Candidates who have a good command of English/French, Canadian level matching educational background, and previous work experience of a minimum of one year, among others, are considered eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and can apply for Canada Permanent Residency via Express Entry.
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Candidates qualifying for the following programs are eligible to apply under the Express Entry Program:
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program is tailored for individuals with recent Canadian work experience who aspire to secure permanent residency status in Canada.
The Federal Skilled Worker Program is one of the three Express Entry programs and is quite popular among skilled immigrants from all over the world, even in 2024.
Eligibility criteria for FSWP in 2025
The candidates must score a minimum of 67 out of 100 points on FSW’s eligibility point grid. This doesn’t mean the candidate would get the Invitation to Apply for the Canadian PR, rather these 100 points determine the candidate’s eligibility to just enter the FSWP pool of the Express Entry program.
The Federal Skilled Worker program assesses the profile of candidates based on six selection factors:
- Age
- Language skills
- Education
- Experience
- Arranged employment in Canada
- Adaptability
To qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker program, a candidate must meet the minimum requirements in each scoring category:
| Factors | Points |
|---|---|
| Education | 25 |
| Language Proficiency | 28 |
| Age | 12 |
| Work Experience | 15 |
| Arranged Employment | 10 |
| Adaptability | 10 |
| Minimum Passing Score | 67 |
Need more information or have questions about Federal Skilled Worker Program?
Universal Adviser is here to answer your questions and guide you through the Federal Skilled Worker Program for Canada Immigration application process.
Work Experience
The candidate should have a minimum of 12 months of continuous, full-time (equivalent part-time), skilled work experience completed within the last ten years. And, the occupation must fall under Canada’s NOC Skill Level 0, A, or B.
Language Proficiency
Candidates are required to score a minimum CLB (Canadian Language Benchmark) level 7 in English or French.
Education
The candidates must have a matching educational degree with the Canadian high school diploma level or equivalent. This equivalency can be found in the ECA report.
Financial Support
Show enough funds to support yourself and any accompanying spouse and/or children for the Canadian immigration process.
Residence in Canada
The candidate must intend to reside outside the province of Quebec.
You could qualify to create an Express Entry profile if you meet the minimum requirements. Nevertheless, meeting these criteria does not ensure an invitation to submit an official application for Canadian permanent residence. Express Entry operates on a competitive basis, meaning only the most highly ranked FSWC candidates will receive invitations to apply.
Canadian Federal Skilled Worker Occupations
Numerous occupations are classified as skilled.
- TEER 0 (zero): This tier has roles in management, such as restaurant managers, retail and wholesale trade managers, managers in food service and accommodation, and others.
- TEER 1: Professional positions typically require a university degree, encompassing various Information Technology (IT) roles, engineering and construction roles, legal positions, and more.
- TEER 2 : Occupations typically demanding a college diploma, apprenticeship training lasting 2 or more years, or supervisory roles. Examples include web technicians and medical laboratory technologists.
- TEER 3 : Occupations typically necessitate a college diploma, apprenticeship training of less than 2 years, or over 6 months of on-the-job training.
Documents required for the process
When submitting your Express Entry profile under the FSW program, you need to provide the following documents:
- Educational Credentials Assessment (ECA)
To claim points for study attained outside of Canada, an FST candidate needs to provide a valid ECA report. You do not require an ECA report for education obtained in Canada.
- Language Proficiency Test Results
Candidates applying under Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Trades program need to provide valid English/French language test results.
- Identification Documents
This part requires information from identification documents. Candidates should make sure that they and all accompanying family members (if any) possess valid passports for travel.
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FSWP application process in 2025
Eligible candidates need to create & submit an Express Entry profile to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). After submitting your profile, you will be assigned a CRS score and ranked in the Express Entry pool for future draws.
- Step 1: Assess your eligibility
The first step of the application process is to find the eligibility criteria marked above in this article and to see if your profile is eligible according to it. Make sure that you meet the basic eligibility criteria for minimum work experience, educational qualifications, language proficiency, etc.
You can also seek professional help from the top RCICs in India/the best Canadian immigration firm in India.
- Step 2: Gather the necessary documents for profile creation
To initiate your Express Entry profile, gather three types of documents:
- Identity document: Check the validity of your passport, renew it otherwise.
- Language Proficiency: Obtain test results from an approved language test taken within the preceding two years. For English, candidates may take the IELTS or CELPIP test, while for French, options include the TEF and TCF. Candidates proficient in both languages can earn additional points.
- Education: If education was completed outside of Canada, obtain an Educational Credentials Assessment (ECA).
- Step 3: Create your Express Entry profile
You can create an online profile on the IRCC website and file a PR application without any hassle. But, if you are confused about it, our RCICs can help you in the entire process as well.
- Step 4: Enhance your profile and CRS ranking
If your CRS score falls below the cut-off for an invitation, consider strategies to boost it, such as retaking language tests. Additionally, explore options like gaining more work experience or eligibility under Express Entry-aligned Provincial Nominee Program streams.
- Step 5: Receive an invitation to apply (ITA)
Upon receiving an ITA, you and your family, if applicable, can submit a permanent residence application within 60 days. ITAs are issued through draws from the Express Entry pool by IRCC.
- Step 6: Undergo medical exam, and security checks, and submit e-application
Federal Skilled Worker applicants undergo screening for medical and criminal inadmissibility. Provide proof of completing a medical exam with an IRCC-recognized physician and police background checks from countries resided in for at least six months since turning 18. Submit an e-application within the ITA timeframe, including detailed work reference letters.
- Step 7: Review of your e-application
The next step might involve an immigration officer asking for additional information while reviewing your e-application. This is an optional step.
- Step 8: Receive confirmation of permanent resident status and complete landing.
Approximately 80% of applications under the Federal Skilled Worker Program are processed in under six months. Upon approval, receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) document, signed and dated by an officer at a Canadian port of entry or IRCC office.
- Step 9: Obtain your PR card.
With the confirmation of status, apply for your Permanent Resident (PR) card. This card serves as proof of your status in Canada when traveling outside the country.
No, a job offer isn’t mandatory for FSW program eligibility; however, an approved offer can earn you additional eligibility points.
A spouse or common-law partner can join an FSW application. Moreover, if your spouse presents sufficient English or French language results, you can gain extra eligibility points.
No, there’s no age limit for the FSW program. However, as you age, the points allotted under the age factor decrease. Consequently, you’ll need to score higher in other areas to qualify.
Yes, part-time work experience can be considered. For it to be valid, it must equate to full-time or full-time equivalent skilled experience. Full-time work entails 30 hours per week; anything less is deemed part-time. To calculate the full-time equivalent of part-time work, divide the hours worked per week by 30 and multiply by the number of months worked. This yields the number of full-time equivalent months worked.
Indeed, work experience gained as a student is acceptable as long as it is a salaried position.
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